Lisa Chambers

Abortion law change to make doctors report woman’s marital status sought
Amendments to record patient’s previous terminations and ethnicity proposed by anti-abortion TDs

Tue, Dec 4, 2018
Jennifer Bray

A number of anti-abortion TDs have proposed new changes to the abortion legislation which would require a doctor to report whether a woman had any previous abortions, what age and ethnicity she is and whether she is married.

If a medical practitioner does not do this, they could be fined or jailed for up to five years.

The Oireachtas committee on the eighth amendment is likely to vote in favour of abortion without restriction in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy when it agrees its final report on Wednesday.

Committee sources say there appears to be a majority in favour of accepting the recommendation of the citizens’ assembly that termination of pregnancy, without restriction, should be lawful up to 12 weeks’ gestation.

Three FF committee members want to make abortion available up to 12 weeks without restriction
Submission recommends GP-led service up to 12 weeks for terminations without reason

Dec 9, 2017
Sarah Bardon

Three Fianna Fáil members of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment have called for it to support making abortion available up to 12 weeks without restriction.

In a joint submission to the committee, Senator Ned O’Sullivan and TDs Billy Kelleher and Lisa Chambers outline their belief that terminations should be accessible when the life and the health of a mother is at risk. There should be no distinction between the mental or physical health of the mother, they add.

Oireachtas committee votes for abortion law change
Kate O’Connell says this is not end of the debate, but is a step in right direction

Oct 19, 2017
Sarah Bardon

The Oireachtas committee examining Ireland’s abortion law has agreed that Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution should not be retained in full.

The decision ensures the committee will recommend a referendum, which the Government has scheduled to take place next year. The proposal was made by Sinn Féin and supported by Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher. Fifteen committee members voted in favour, three voted against including Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick, and two Fianna Fáil members abstained.